A formidable 40 locations throughout the area at the moment are owned by native communities.
Forests, retailers and countryside are among the many much-loved areas now belonging to the general public in line with a report by Neighborhood Land Scotland.
It means Dumfries and Galloway is displaying the best way ahead for the remainder of Scotland.
Chairman of Neighborhood Land Scotland Ailsa Raeburn stated: “The previous 5 years has seen the south of Scotland turn into one of many quickest rising areas for group land possession.
“Communities all throughout the south are benefiting from the rights and funding in the stores land and buildings which are essential to the event of their group.
“All these efforts are creating long run transformational change – serving to to reverse lengthy standing depopulation and the lack of younger individuals and constructing group confidence and resilience.
“Communities are coming collectively to take cost of what wants to alter of their native space and dealing with companions to develop native tasks.
“That is all laborious work and takes effort and time. It additionally requires assist from companies and native authorities working in partnership with native individuals to make higher locations.
“Communities have proven they've the ambition, tenacity and expertise however they'll’t make the modifications the South of Scotland wants on their very own.”
One of many examples highlighted within the report is Carsphairn Neighborhood Belief which bought 120 acres of Muirdrochwood Forest due to money from the Scottish Land Fund, Carsphairn Neighborhood Vitality Fund and Forestry and Land Scotland.
The mission helps create new jobs and is growing a sustainable woodland for the local people to take pleasure in, in flip bettering wildlife and biodiversity and supporting the creation of an area wooden gas enterprise and rural expertise coaching centre.
One other Stewartry mission investigated within the report is New Galloway Neighborhood Enterprises. After the ultimate store within the burgh was on the verge of closure, the group launched a group buy-out.
It was capable of show assist by elevating tens of 1000's of kilos by promoting shares within the scheme – some being purchased by individuals as far-off as Norway and California.
That backing was helped safe greater than £800,000 from the Large Lottery Growth Fund which lined the acquisition and renovation of the store and home it was a part of, with the home being transformed into vacation flats. Cash has additionally been used for a group engagement employee.
Ailsa added: “It'd really feel like the beginning of a course of within the South, in communities beginning to take management of their native areas.
“What’s additionally very thrilling is the sense of the dimensions of the ambition and imaginative and prescient in so many communities – they see what wants to alter and need to be an energetic half in main that change.”